CAIRO: In Helwan, a fierce battle between prominent opposition MP, Mostafa Bakry, and Minister of Military Production, Sayed Mesha'l, is underway; a forced confrontation between both strong candidates after the redistribution of electoral constituencies. Four months ago, the Shoura Council agreed on a law modifying electoral constituencies in 12 governorates; accordingly, Bakry's constituency, Al-Tebin and 15th of May, was split and added to Al-Saf constituency leaving him with two options: either to fight an almost losing battle against two rounds MP Mesha'l, or find another constituency to compete in. Bakry chose to stay in Helwan; telling Daily News Egypt that the competition is unfair and accusing his opponent of using the ministry's facilities to serve his campaign. Daily News Egypt: How do you see your chances in winning the elections in Helwan? Mostafa Bakry: In case of free and fair elections, I am confident of a sweeping victory as polls showed a huge difference between me and my opponents. Unfortunately, Mesha'l is dedicating his ministry [to serve] his campaign, using workers and facilities as well as receiving assistance from the governor of Helwan in holding public conferences. At the same time, I was banned from a symposium at Helwan Cultural Center and my banners are being bizarrely torn in the streets. [Indications] show that a state institution is standing behind this as it is becoming clearer that they are backing certain candidates against others but I am confident that the people of Helwan will have their voices heard. What is the goal of such a campaign? They want to make me feel lost, neither able to compete in my constituency nor able to get ready to run in another constituency. But frustration and despair are the last things on my mind. I know authorities' plots very well since I ran against the Minister of Religious Endowments in 1995 and 2000 and lost — despite the vote difference in my favor. But in 2005, I won because of judicial supervision of the elections. Are you against ministers running in elections? If they abide by the rules and don't use state facilities to their favor, they are more than welcome. But if things will be like they are now, then we demand that ministers in office be barred from running in elections. In your opinion who stands behind this campaign? This campaign against me is meant to get rid of me because of my opposing stance against [a steel tycoon and MP] Ahmed Ezz's corruption; especially, after he raised the prices of steel to reach LE 10,000 per ton. I was selected as the most active MP in a survey conducted by the Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Center, while Ezz was the least active MP — he banned the publishing of the results and threatened to sack the head of the center. However, the battle between me and Ezz isn't a personal one but a battle against corruption and monopoly. There have been rumors circulating that some people asked you to run in Ezz's constituency in Menufiya governorate? That's true, people asked me to run against Ezz but I refused because this isn't my constituency and I don't know people there. If that was the case, I would have run in the elections at my home town in Qena but I can't serve people [from] 600 km away. However, I would be very happy to compete against Ezz in any of Cairo's constituencies. What are your expectations for the elections this year? I hope that the promises of President Mubarak of free and fair elections are kept and no other factors interfere in determining the outcome of the elections. However, I am also afraid of a deal between political parties to exclude independent opposition MPs.
